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Mike slowly approached the door to El's room. He smiled to himself when he saw the door was not closed, but was partly open. Apparently El had stuck to Hopper's old rule of "Three Inches Open" even though she was alone in her room. Mike hoped that El was still keeping Hopper alive in her memories, though part of him couldn't help but think the Chief was gone; it had been nearly a year, after all.
He knocked on the door gently when he reached it.
"El, can I come in?" he asked in a soft voice.
"Yes," said El.
Mike pushed through the door and walked into El's room. It was much cleaner than his always was and he smiled at seeing her personalization of the room, which mainly consisted of drawings she had made of everyone in The Party, along with some drawings of her with the Byers family. Mike knew El had drawn the pictures; Will's were always much more detailed than the ones he saw, but he appreciated seeing the art all the same.
El was sitting on her bed, snuggling with the teddy bear she had held when they had kissed in the Byers home right before leaving for California. She was also sniffling slightly, which didn't surprise Mike; he'd be crying too considering all that had happened since the skating rink. Mike had been so shocked by what El had done, he could only imagine what El must've been going through.
"Hi El," Mike said when he reached the edge of her bed. He didn't sit down with her, not wanting to intrude on her personal space.
"Hi, Mike," El replied.
"How are you doing?" Mike asked.
El shrugged and seemed too busy staring off into space to respond to anything Mike had to say.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay before I went to bed," Mike said.
"Are you afraid of me, Mike?"
If there was a statement Mike was expecting to hear, it certainly wasn't that. He frowned down at El, though she didn't see because she was still staring off into space.
"Why would you ask that?" Mike asked.
"Are you afraid of me, Mike?" El repeated, not giving him an explanation for what she was asking.
"Of course not, El, why would I be afraid of you?"
"Because of what I did."
Mike's expression softened. Of course El would think Mike was scared of her after what she did. The way everyone had looked at El after what happened made it look like everyone was afraid of her. Even Will had had a shocked expression on his face after what they all saw.
"I'm not scared of you, El, I'm scared for you," Mike said, choosing his words carefully. "Yeah, I wish you hadn't done it, but I'm more scared of what the consequences might be for what happened."
El buried her face into the teddy bear she was cuddling.
"Do you want me to leave, El? I'll give you your space if that's what you want."
Rather than responding, El simply nodded into the teddy bear, tears streaming down her cheeks. Mike bent down and patted her lightly on the arm, hoping he was providing some level of comfort to his...friend? Girlfriend? These days Mike didn't even know. Yeah, they might have kissed at the airport and behaved like a couple at the skating rink, but it didn't feel natural to Mike. In fact, it felt rather forced, like Mike was trying to show off that he was in a relationship with a girl.
Mike stood up and left El's room, leaving the door open just a few inches. He wasn't sure if it was three like Hopper had asked, but he hoped the effort was appreciated all the same.
Mike strode down the hall to Will's room, where he would be sleeping. He couldn't help but feel a little excited. It was like he was a little kid again and getting to spend time with his best friend. He also had a surprise for Will that he was hoping to give him now that they would be alone. Mike walked into WIll's room, where Will was unmaking his bed.
"She's okay," Mike said once he closed the door behind him. "I think she just needs some space."
Will nodded, but didn't say anything. He didn't even look up to acknowledge Mike was in the room with him. Mike frowned slightly.
"Will? You okay?" he asked.
Will nodded again, still not looking up at Mike, whose frown deepened.
"Will, is something wrong?" Mike asked.
That seemed like the wrong thing to ask. Will's head shot up and he looked angrier than Mike had seen him in a long time.
"I don't know, Mike, maybe there is something wrong!" Will said, trying and failing to keep his voice even. The venom in Will's tone was coming through and it cut through Mike. "Maybe I'm mad because my best friend and my sister were too busy acting all coupley to wish me a happy birthday!"
Tears were starting to form in Will's eyes as he spoke and his voice broke at the end of his statement.
Mike's eyes widened.
"Will...I, I didn't forget it was your birthday!" Mike exclaimed.
"Bullshit!" Will retorted, his face snarling even more than it had been. "You didn't even wish me a happy birthday at the airport, Mike! Seriously, what the hell?"
Mike's face turned ash white. He had been meaning to immediately wish Will a happy birthday the second he saw him.
"Will, oh my god!" Mike said, sputtering over his words. "I'm so sorry, Will! I meant to wish you a happy birthday in the airport. But El was hugging all over me and it just completely slipped out of my mind! I'm so sorry!"
"Sorry doesn't cut it, Mike! We're best friends, how could you just forget my birthday like that?"
"Will, I'm such an idiot! I'm so, so sorry! But I promise you, I didn't forget your birthday! The whole reason I flew in today was so that I could be here for your birthday!"
Will scoffed, turning away from Mike and starting to unmake his bed again.
"Yeah right, Mike," he muttered.
Mike sighed as he walked over to his backpack. He reached inside until he found the manilla envelope that had Will's surprise in it. Mike walked over to Will's bed and held out the envelope.
"What is this?" Will said, frowning.
"Just open it," Mike said.
Will huffed slightly before he sat down on the bed, taking the envelope from Mike. He opened the envelope and pulled out the stack of papers that were in it. Will took one look at the papers and his expression immediately changed.
"Mike!" he gasped. "Is this...?"
Will looked up at Mike for confirmation. Mike was smiling softly at him, the smile that was reserved only for Will. Mike nodded at him. Will returned his attention to the papers in front of him and started to flip through them excitedly.
"Where do you find these?" he asked.
"I was cleaning out my room right after you guys left," Mike said. "I needed something to distract myself from my thoughts and my room needed a good cleaning anyway. I was cleaning my desk when I found these old stories."
The stories Mike had found were a series of handmade books Mike and Will had made together as children. Even back then, their roles of Mike the writer and Will the artist were in full-swing. Mike came up with the stories and Will would make Mike's imagination come to life with his drawings. The result was a series of stories, told in perfect 7 or 8-year-old kid form. Mike had almost forgotten the stories even existed until he found them.
"I spent hours reading all of our stories," Mike said, joining Will on the bed. "Some of them were pretty bad, and some of your art was a little questionable." This earned Mike a small slap on the arm and the two of them chuckled. "But I remember how magical it was to come up with those stories with you. We could've spent hours and hours working on them, but it never felt like enough. It was like no time had passed every time we worked on these stories."
Both of the boys were starting to tear up now. Mike's voice remained steady while he talked, though Will could tell it was a struggle.
"So, why'd you bring them?" Will asked, struggling to keep his voice steady, too.
"I wanted you to have something that reminded you of home," Mike said. "All of your drawings have always reminded me of home, so I was hoping the stories we made together would help you remember home, at least the good parts."
"Oh, Mike," Will said, scooting over and throwing his arms around Mike in a tight hug.
Mike was slightly taken aback by Will's gesture but returned the hug just as enthusiastically. They held each other for several moments, and the hug could not have been more different from the awkward "bro-hug" at the airport. Both boys chuckled as they remembered it at the same time and how absurd it was.
When they finally broke apart, Will wiped away some tears from his face.
"Thank you, Mike," he said. "You're right, these stories will remind me of home. Of all the good parts."
"Even me?" Mike asked in an impossibly small voice.
"Of course, Mike. You're my best friend and you're one of the best parts about home. I miss you so much, Mike."
"I miss you, too, Will," Mike said.
Will sniffed as he stood up from the bed and walked over to his desk. He picked up the rolled up poster that he had brought with him to the airport that he had described as "just this painting I've been working on." A part of Mike had worried in the airport this was the painting that Will had been working on for a girl, like El had mentioned in her letter. As Will came back to the bed and handed it over to Mike, Mike frowned slightly.
"What is this?" Mike asked.
"Just open it," Will said in a quiet voice.
Mike took off the rubber band and unrolled the painting. It was a familiar sight. Two little boys, swinging together without a care in the world, as if nothing else mattered but the two of them. Mike glanced down in the corner and saw a familiar date written there, next to Will's signature.
"Will, is this..." Mike said, close to tears once again.
"The day we first met," Will said, nodding, failing to keep the tears out of his own voice.
"Will, this is incredible! The detail you put into this is enormous! We really look like 5-year-old us! You must've spent weeks working on this!"
Mike glanced up at Will, who was smiling softly, tears falling down his cheeks. Will nodded at Mike.
"I've been working on it for like two months now," Will said.
"It's amazing, Will. I really don't have words!"
Will's smile grew if that were possible. Tears were now falling down both of their cheeks.
"Is this for me?" Mike asked.
Will nodded.
"I heard you, you know," Will said.
"When?" Mike asked, though he had an idea of what Will was referring to.
"That night in the shed, when I was possessed by the Mind Flayer. I could barely hear Mom or Jonathan. It was like their words were muffled. But when you started speaking, I heard you clearly. You said asking to be my friend is the best thing you've ever done."
"It is," Mike said, nodding vigorously. "You saying yes is the best thing that's ever happened to me, Will."
"It's the best decision I've ever made, Mike," Will said. "Being your friend is the best part of my life. I just wanted you to know just how much your friendship means to me."
At that, Mike broke down sobbing. He carefully pushed the painting away so his tears wouldn't fall on it. He cupped his hands in his face as he cried.
"Mike!" Will exclaimed, scooting closer to Mike again and debating if he should hug Mike. "What's wrong?"
Mike shook his head as he kept sobbing.
"Come here," Will said, pulling Mike in for a tight hug. Will held onto Mike as Mike sobbed into his shoulders. Will gently shushed Mike, whispering words of comfort into his ear and rubbing circles on Mike's back. After several minutes, Mike's crying slowed down and he started taking deep breaths to calm himself. Finally, Mike raised his head from Will's shoulder, wiping his eyes. Will reached over and gently put his hand on Mike's arm.
"What is it, Mike?" Will asked gently.
"I'm so sorry, Will," Mike said in a voice barely louder than a whisper. "I've been such a horrible friend to you. And after everything you've been through! I don't deserve you, Will! You deserve a friend better than me!"
Will shook his head.
"Mike, no. It's okay! Friends fight, Mike. It happens. You're still my best friend and I hope I'm your best friend, too."
"You always will be," Mike said, fresh tears falling down his cheeks. Will reached lower and squeezed Mike's hand reassuringly. He was relieved when Mike squeezed back.
"Promise you won't hate me, Will," Mike said in an impossibly quiet voice.
Will squeezed Mike's hand again. "I promise you, Mike. No matter what, I will never hate you. I swear to you."
Mike took a few deep breaths, calming himself before he spoke again. He still spoke in a quiet voice, as if afraid of being overheard.
"I've been so scared, Will," Mike said. "I'm afraid of losing you. I can't stand the thought of losing you. I want to be close to you, but I keep pushing you away, because I'm such a coward, Will."
Will had no idea how to respond. There were no more tears falling down Mike's face, but he looked sadder than Will had ever seen him and he was talking in a broken voice that was so unlike Mike.
"I'm so scared of my feelings, Will. I didn't know it until you left last year. I had suspected for a long time, but once you were no longer in Hawkins, that's when I realized it."
"Realized what?" Will asked as gently as he could.
"That I'm in love with you," Mike said, turning away from Will and letting go of his hand. "I can't believe I just admitted that out loud. I haven't even been able to say those words out loud to myself. But it's true, Will. I'm in love with you. And I'm so scared that you're gonna hate me for that, that I pushed you away so I wouldn't get too close to you. I never meant to hurt you, Will, and I'm so sorry for treating you badly. I'm sorry for being in love with you."
At this, Mike started to cry again. Will could feel his heart shatter at the same time it fluttered. On the one hand, hearing that Mike loved him filled Will's heart with so much love that he thought he might burst. But his heart was breaking because Mike thought he would hate him.
"No, Mike," Will said, reaching over and gently grabbing Mike's head. He slowly turned Mike's head so that Mike could look him in the eyes when he spoke. "I love you, too, Mike."
Mike started sobbing again as Will pulled him in for another hug. They held onto each other like lifelines as they cried. Will was feeling every positive emotion he could describe, and it was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Mike loved him. He loved Mike. It was them. Mike and Will. Will and Mike. Two little boys who became friends by swinging together on the first day of kindergarten. Now two teenagers who were in love. It was a lot for either of them to wrap their heads around.
Finally, they both calmed down, wiping away the tears and chuckling at how much crying they'd been doing.
"Are you sure, Will?" Mike asked.
Will didn't need Mike to clarify what Mike was asking.
"Mike, it's the surest I've ever been in my whole life," Will said. "I love you. I accept you as you are, Mike. You don't have to change anything about yourself for me. I love you, all of you, from now until the end of time."
"Thank god," Mike said, finally smiling for the first time in several minutes. Suddenly, he looked shy, too. "Um...can I?" he asked, glancing at Will's lips.
"I'd be insulted if you didn't," Will said with a smirk.
Mike barked a laugh as he leaned closer to Will. He cupped Will's cheeks and leaned forward, as if silently asking, "Is this okay?" Instead of answering, Will closed the gap between their lips.
There was another explosion of emotions running through both boys. All of their dreams were coming true at this moment. There were no fireworks or church bells ringing in the background, but it was everything either of them could have wanted at this moment. Their love for each other was racing through their bodies and taking over them completely. The kiss was passionate, but gentle. Both Mike and Will felt safer than they had in years, certainly since the events involving the Upside Down.
When they finally broke apart, both boys were breathless.
"Wow," Mike whispered.
"Yeah," Will replied. "Wow."
"I'm so exhausted, Will. I think we should go to bed."
"You're right," Will said, nodding.
Mike stood up from the bed, carrying both the painting and the old stories he had brought with him and set them all down on Will's desk. He went over to his luggage and grabbed his sleep clothes, changing into them quickly. When he turned to look at Will again, Will was already in bed, looking at Mike expectantly.
"Do you wanna...?" Mike asked.
"Mike, I just told you I love you and made out with you, of course I want you to sleep in my bed with me," Will said, sounding amused.
Mike giggled, actually giggled. He blushed at his reaction, which got a huge smile out of Will. He walked over to Will's bed and got into it on the right side. They got into comfortable positions to go to sleep before Will leaned over and turned off the light on his nightstand.
The two of them cuddled once it was dark. They held onto each other gently, neither wanting to ever let go.
"I want to continue them," Mike said.
"Hmmm?" asked Will.
"The stories we worked on as kids. I want to finish them. We never got to when we were kids, but I always had ideas."
"I think that sounds wonderful," Will said before he gave Mike another kiss.
"Hey Will?" Mike said when they broke apart.
"Yeah?"
"Happy birthday."